Womxn of Music: Fritzwa

To the womxn of music, thank you.

Not just for paving the way for others to follow in your footsteps but for speaking your truth when the noise tried to drown you out, the times you kept showing up even when it was exhausting or felt thankless. Thank you for always relenting, speaking up, inventing and overcoming — for sharing your stories and not backing down. It matters and whether it felt like it in the moment, it was noticed.

March 8th is International Women’s Day and for the Marmoset community, it’s not just a day of recognizing and honoring the achievements and history made by women — we strive to do that the other 364 days out of the year.

Instead, it’s about reflecting on each other’s journeys, lifting one another up while looking ahead; because staying sharp and strategic is the only way to stay ahead of the game. And while an internationally celebrated day of recognization is nice… we decided to share the microphone with five amazing artists we work alongside and whose music we feature on our roster. Because we’re not just fans of their music, we’re admirers of their mentalities, their spirited hustle and won’t back down attitudes.

New York City native, Fritzwa gave us the lowdown on her new music and the momentum that gets her up in the morning.

After changing up her creative environment by leaving New York for Portland, Oregon, Fritzwa now hustles back and forth between lush Pacific Northwest and bustling Los Angeles, California. This year she’s taking the west coast by storm, taking on musical collaborations between cities. And there’s no question of the determined spirit that fuels the artist, she’s continually setting out to conquer, pushing back in the face of opposition.

“I just have this relentless attitude about everything,” says Fritzwa. “Just in terms of being marginalized, you have to have that kind off mentality that you’re not going to take no for an answer. I don’t allow anybody to tell me no, if there’s something I want to make or if someone’s preventing me from getting to someone else, it’s just fuel for me to accomplish those things even more.”

And with being in the position of trading a high-level marketing job with Nike to produce music full-time, Fritzwa uses this chapter in her life as a motivator for growth. Creating music is a livelihood for her — she’s a businesswoman just as much as she is a musician.

Physical backdrops aside, Fritzwa is an artist who embodies constant evolution and change, her work ethic an example that even those outside the music industry can draw motivation from: here’s a woman on the move, eager to learn, grow and challenge herself even if it pushes her to the limits.

And in the common scenario of women (especially those of color) being singled out or underrepresented in positions of authority, it can be easy to succumb to a certain of complacency — to simple accept rather exert more energy in pushing back. But for Fritzwa, it’s about putting in the work and time now and going the distance.

“Just because things aren’t happening for you on your timeline doesn’t mean they’re not supposed to happen,” says Fritzwa. “It just means that maybe you’re not ready for what you want. I’ve been frustrated about a lot of things when it comes to music and looking back, if what I wanted had happened to me, then it would have been very short lived.”

Currently producing new work in Los Angeles, Fritzwa is exploring Afrobeats with her newly released music — her past two songs a fusion of West African stylings and pulsing electronic elements. “Shake Waist” is a sample of the latest direction she’s been heading musically.

And while just a sample of her recent projects, Fritzwa is gearing up to dish out a variety of singles this year; the work will encapsulate her initiative toward exploration, a meld of collaboration with different producers and crossover of genres. It’s a year of beginnings and active diligence — most importantly, it’s crucial to note they’re products of her skilled talent and determined spirit. She’s making it happen.

“You have to set your sights beyond anything you could ever achieve,” says Fritzwa. “Because if you do that, then you know you’re always going to grow toward that, you’re always going to learn and going to be humble. And I think that the music gods will look favorably upon you because you’re looking at it as a craft as opposed to a means to an end.”